Animals pat life

Since it was such a hit at Halloween, Animal Enrichment Specialist Suzanne was at it again for Thanksgiving with another great set of activities and opportunities to explore for our animals.  First up were our feline residents!   Alphonso decided to go sailing in the Mayflower, finally realizing his dream of being a pilgrim. The Mayflower was a repurposed cardboard box with some catnip sprinkled in the bottom to entice the kitties to explore. Alphonso then spent some quiet time in a teepee. We don’t think he learned how to grow maize but he certainly enjoyed his time relaxing. Our bunny residents got cornhusk leaf piles and lettuce cornucopias to chew and play with over the holiday weekend. Trust us, they were extra thankful! Our shelter dogs moved the activities outdoors, despite a wet weekend.   Dogs like discovering new things and using their noses. Adding something unexpected to their routine mentally stimulates them and builds a more confident pup.  Pools full ...

We’re always on the lookout for fun activities to share with you and we found a great one from our friends at the Outer Banks SPCA, located in North Carolina.(https://www.facebook.com/obxspca) Last Thanksgiving, their shelter dogs celebrated by digging into these festive food bowls! Volunteers and kids had so much fun putting them together that the North Carolina agency has been serving up this Thanksgiving Day feast for two years and counting. Freezing the bowls allows advance preparation—and as a bonus, makes mealtime last longer for the animals.  Share photos if you do this for your dogs on Thanksgiving!  We'd love to see! Special thanks to ASPCA and the Outer Banks SPCA for this recipe.